Pechanga Resort and Casino Poker Tournament

Pechanga Resort and Casino will be sponsoring our first of (hopefully) many poker tournaments on Veteran's Day November 11, 2011 at 7PM.

Come and join us in supporting our wounded and returning military combat veterans and their familes.

Dukes Car Show Fundraiser for the Military

October 15th took us to Fairmont park in Riverside wher the Dukes Car Club were sponsoring a military fundraiser for the National Guard Armory located at the park. Fun, Food, things to buy and lots of spectacular looking lowrides from all over California and Arizona were at hand to gain the OOh's and AHH's of those who witnessed their vibrant colors and meticulously polished chrome.

New artwork on our vehicle

This weekend we were blessed with new artwork showcasing Operation Silver Star on our vehicle. The artwork was donated to us by Ron Williamson, Master artist and airbrush perfectionaire.

Thank you Ron for this and for the 101st airborne painting you did for my son Jesse on his truck (a gift from Ron to Jesse).

WTU B Fall Bar-B-Q Friday September 30, 2011

On this day we were invited to attend WTU's Bar-B-Q at Balboa Navel Hospital in San Diego. We were bless to have the opportunity to have lunch with some of our wounded American Heroes In Building 26. We would like to thank Irina Rader, Education Services Specialist and Acting SFAC Specialist for the Soldier and Family Assistance Center for extending the invitation to OSS.

On this day we met some great people including Julia Valentour, M.S. and Alex Guzman of Wounded Warrior Project's San Diego Office. A special thanks goes out to Shannon Wright daughter of our friend Stephen Wright for baking some wonderful and great tasting cupcakes.

Tee-Off for the Wounded September 11, 2011

Our Tee-Off for the Wounded golf tournament was a great success. We met Some great people who have expressed their support for our cause many of whom have family in the Military or are/were themselves in the military.

We would like to especially thank the Links at Summerly Golf Course and Stan Gonzales, The Los Angeles Dodgers, Point Loma Credit Union, Primus Golf, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Menifee Valley Athletic Club, Outback Steak House, Dixon Golf, Operation Silver Star's Board Members and Autumn Olson for all of their support.

Pizza Fundraiser August 5, 2011

We would like to thank everyone who attended Bluestar Families and St. Catherine Military Ministry's fundraiser for Operation Silver Star. We had a great time meeting all of you. A special thank you to Reyna Reyna and Pizzeria Venti for their hard work and dedication to our troops.

OSS PSA FROM KFRG AND KATY RADIO

KFRG and KATY are running a PSA for Operation Silver Star and will air it from May 23rd through the 30th... so listen to these two radio stations for a bit and you will hear it...unfortunately we were given no specific time BUT WE ARE POSTING THE SPOT......

OPERATION SILVER STAR WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THIS YEAR'S 59th ANNUAL FLOWER FESTIVAL ON JUNE 22 THROUGH THE 26 IN LOMPOC CALIFORNIA. WE WILL BE THERE ON THE 22ND THROUGH THE 26TH. LOMPOC IS OUTSIDE OF VANDENBERG AFB 1 HOUR N. OF SANTA BARBARA AND 1/2 HOUR E. OF SOLVANG. I AM ANTICIPATING A LOT OF FUN AND GOOD ADVERTISING FOR OSS.

Salute a Veteran Parade April 16, 2011

We had a wonderful time participating in the Parade. A very special Thank you goes out to our Hero Sgt. Juan Mendez for coming out and joining us in the parade, to Ruben Ayala for bringing a classic Oldsmobile Cutlass to ride in and to Skylar and Meri Faria for the wonderful Banner!

On Saturday March 26, 2011, we had our first Operation Silver Star board meeting.

In attendance was Richard & Delia De La Cruz, Efrain & Susie Aguirre and Raul & Linda Castro.

The highlights of this meeting were as follows;

Richard De La Cruz was assigned the position of President, Efrain Aguirre was assigned the position of Treasure and Delia De La Cruz wished to retain the position of Founder. The position of Secretary and all director positions will be assigned on our next meeting to be announced.

The board discussed several issues such as non-fund raising and fund raising activities to be pursued, their thoughts on possible changes to our logo, the level of commitment that will be required by our board, directors, staff and volunteers, hospital visitations, case work responsibilities and proper etiquette relating to conducting board meetings.

We also acknowledge the absence of four colleagues, Jim McGrath, Raul & Ginger Madrid and Julie Oyler.

THE OPERATION SILVER STAR DINNER WAS A GREAT SUCCESS.. ALTHOUGH THE NUMBERS WERE SMALL THE IMPACT WAS GREAT AND BEAUTIFUL.. WE RECONNECTED WITH AMAZING FRIENDS AND MADE NEW ONES. WE WERE BLESSED TO HAVE SOME OF OUR FINEST HEROES FROM THE VIETNAM ERA AS WELL AS THE IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN THEATER, ALL WOUNDED AND ALL PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS. TWO OF OUR HEROES SPOKE ON ON THEIR EXPERIENCES AND FOCUSED ON PTSD AS AN ISSUE THAT SURELY NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD AS A PRIORITY TO BE UNDERSTOOD AND ADDRESSED. THE SPEECHES WERE FELT BY EVERYONE IN THE ROOM AND RECEIVED WITH APPLAUSE AND A STANDING OVATION.

OUR RECONNECTION WITH OUR FRIENDS MERI AND SKYLAR FARIA WAS AMAZING AND WILL LEAD TO MUCH BETTER DAYS FOR OPERATION SILVER STAR AND HAS SPURRED A DEEPER PASSION FOR OUR MISSION BY ALL INVOLVED.

ON BEHALF OF OPERATION SILVER STAR, DELIA AND I, OUR OSS BOARD, EFRAIN AND SUSIE AGUIRRE, ELIZABETH ALAGAO AND JENNIE YOUNG, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL WHO ATTENDED THE DINNER AND ALL WHO WERE WITH US IN SPIRIT AND PASSION FOR OUR MISSION... A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO STAN GONZALES FOR HELPING US CREATE THIS EVENT.. GOD BLESS YOU ALL, GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS AND GOD BLESS AMERICA.







(ABOVE) HMC AARON SEBERT, U.S. NAVY, IRAQ 2005,
S/SGT JAMES H. GULARTE (RET), VIETNAM 1968 - 1970,
AND HM3 PETER GOULD, U.S. NAVY, AFGHANISTAN 2010,
ALL PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS



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Operation Silver Star Carwash Day January 23, 2011

Our first carwash was a great success thanks to our community and the help from all our volunteers, friends and family.

The day was a bit windy at first but the wind soon died down and we were able to do what we needed to do and we had alot of fun doing it.

One of our visitors was a retired U.S.Army Sgt-Major who heard about our event and came to get his truck washed, He told me that he is traveling around the country with his wife who was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. Our prayers are with them both.

We would like to give out special thank you to Albertsons of Menifee (Newport Rd). We hope to have another carwash soon.

Thanks to everyone who came out to support our cause.